Espen Jorstad’s Run Good Continues with Win in $25K Tortilla Slap Challenge

08:02
07 Sep

WSOP Main Event champion Espen Jorstad proved that not only can he outlast a field of 8,663 on the poker table, but he can also take some whacks in the face with a flour tortilla without spitting out a mouthful of water.

The TikTok craze known as the Tortilla Slap Challenge officially entered the realm of high stakes poker as the first ever Slap-ellite was held in Cyprus at the Luxon Pay Mediterranean Poker Party. Five combatants – ACR boss Phil Nagy, Tony Guoga, Rob Yong, Jose “Nacho” Barbero, and Jorstad – each put up $5,000 for the right to slap each other with tortillas until there was only one player left standing.

Jorstad took home the honors, red cheeks and all, as well as a $25K entry to a NLHE 8-Handed tournament at the poker festival. He did so by defeating Barbero heads-up, the runner-up thought to be a heavy favorite based on his “Nacho” nickname.

Slap Happy

Officiating the match was ACR Team Pro Ebony Kenney, who had the duty of making the call on eliminating players who gibbled or spit out their water. Another duty of Kenney’s was providing the Slap-ellite contestants with new tortillas when theirs happened to crumble or fall apart after a slap.

The first elimination was none other than Tony G, who was perhaps a bit tired after topping the field in the $10,400 High Roller. His prize of $257,500 will buy plenty of tortillas. Next to fall was Americas Cardroom honcho Phil Nagy, who got in a few good slaps before exiting the contest.

Rob Yong, who is paired with Jorstad in the pro-am $200,000 buy-in Coin Rivet Invitational that begins on Sept. 10, was knocked out by a slap from Nacho. That left Barbero and Jorstad to duke it out and the WSOP champion continued his 2022 run good.

The Tortilla Slap Challenge has more than 943 million views on TikTok. A number of celebrities have joined in on the fun, and so too have high stakes poker players thanks to the Slap-ellite.

Did you like this article?

Tweet
+0